Hello Everyone,    This week on a two hour Main Menu, we bring you a prerecorded presentation from the 2008 CSUN conference entitled Dueling Operating Systems, where blind users are given tasks to accomplish on Linux, the Macintosh OS and Windows using a screen reader of their choice.  The outcomes of the tasks are judged.… Finish Reading Coming up on Main Menu for the week of March 26 – Dueling Operating Systems

March 23, 2008   Dear Christine:   Copies of this electronic correspondence have been shared with Karen Shandrow (my wife and the passenger about which the call in question was made), Gary Bretz (RPTA), Karl Stephens (City of Tempe ADA Coordinator) and the readers of the Blind Access Journal.   I called your reservations center… Finish Reading Dial-A-Ride: Donna – "My job is not worth satisfying you"…

Tactile Devices Will Protect Financial PrivacyWashington, D.C. (March 18, 2008) – Several organizations representing the blind community today commended 7Eleven, Inc. for installing tactile point of sale (POS) devices that will protect the privacy and security of 7-Eleven shoppers with visual impairments.  These new devices include tactile keys arranged like a standard telephone keypad, and… Finish Reading 7-Eleven, Inc.’s Upgrade of Point of Sale Equipment Praised by Blind Community

Dear Victor Reader Stream Customer: New Stream software version 1.2 multi-lingual TTS (Text-to-Speech) releases are now available for download at:http://www.humanware.com/en-canada/support/victor_reader_stream These multi-lingual versions are available in: Danish, French, German, Norwegian, and Swedish. Each multi-lingual version has its recorded prompts and messages in the local language. As well, each multi-lingual version has two Vocalizer TTS languages:… Finish Reading Stream News Wire – New Multi-Lingual Releases

Dear Victor Reader Stream Customer: The alternative Stream software with the English U.S. male (Tom) TTS voice is now available for download at:http://www.humanware.com/en-canada/support/victor_reader_stream This English alternative version 1.2 software has a male TTS voice (Tom) and can be downloaded to replace the default software with the female Samantha voice currently shipped on all English Streams.… Finish Reading Stream News Wire – English Tom TTS Voice

It looks like Jamal Mazrui has an interesting new initiative going for blind computer programmers. See his public announcement below: As you know, the web page of EmpowermentZone.com has not been updated for years after I began focusing on software projects. I knew the site neededa redesign, but wanted to work on Windows GUI development,… Finish Reading Introducing NonvisualDevelopment.org

Hello Everyone,   This week on a one hour Main Menu Live, we hear from Susan Mazrui with AT&T Wireless all about the company’s accessibility initiatives for delivering screen readers and smartphones into the hands of blind and visually impaired customers.   Here is how to participate in the show:   The number to call… Finish Reading Coming up on Main Menu for the week of March 19 – AT&T Wireless Accessibility

Fellow Federationists: We are continuing to make a difference on Capitol Hill. Our "Dear Colleague" letter to support the Talking Books program now has 68 members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed on in support. Congressman Towns, the sponsor of this letter, has now agreed to hold the letter open through the close of… Finish Reading Dear Colleague Letter Extended, Calls Needed Monday to Help NLS Talking Book Program